First up...provisions for our day at a grocery store in Selfoss. On most of our park trips we like to get items for a picnic lunch and snacks. I bring a collapsible cooler in our suitcase so we are able to get ham, salami and cheese to make sandwiches. We get a lot of fruit, chips and drinks and keep them in the car.
We didn't try this...but it was very common to find fish jerky in the stores.
It was the day before Easter and so we did see some treats for the occasion. The girls were given these type of Easter eggs from our hotel in Vik. It was so unique and fun! The silver circle you see actually is like a cork and there are treats and a typed note inside the hollow egg.
So many fun candies to try in foreign countries!
We arrived to view the beautiful Seljalandsfoss.
This waterfall flows off of the lower volcano of Eyjafjnallajokull from miles away. You can walk behind these falls on a path. We were met with cold, thundering spray but so worth it!
If you take the path further down it is another few hundred meters to see another waterfall.
The weather was cloudy and calm and in the 30s-40s.
Icelandic horses dot the landscape making it even more beautiful (if possible).
Skogafoss is a 62 meter high waterfall and truly a breathtaking sight. When it is sunny you can often see rainbows over the waterfalls. Hundreds of migrating birds make Iceland a home at least at some point in the 2 seasons. If you are a photographer...make sure you include a telephoto lens in your bag with wide angles. I didn't...and wish I had! Puffins don't usually make an arrival until mid to late April so unfortunately we missed seeing these iconic birds.
We are visiting in a shoulder season but there were still many tourists in this area (along with the Golden Circle too).
You can walk right up to the waterfall and since we were already drenched from Seljalandsfoss we didn't mind! The power of the falls was overwhelming!
We walked up 500 steps to get an amazing view of the falls and the surrounding countryside. Of course with many stories and lore of Iceland there is one about this waterfall that a Viking settler hid a chest of gold and treasures in AD 900.
I believe the outline of this cliff looks like a troll! See its nose??? There is a bird nesting in his "eye".
We immediately said that we want to return in the summer! Endless days and green would be everywhere.
The weather turned quickly as it often does from a rain/snow mix to a blizzard!
This didn't stop us from exploring this beautiful black sand beach near Vik called Reynisfjara Beach. These basalt columns are truly a sight to behold!
Laying out in black sand! Too bad we didn't have warm temps and a little sun!
The size is astonishing when you are up close!
Basalt caves
Black sand never ceases to intrigue me...and the girls.
The weather was truly miserable and the wind overwhelming at times but if you found a place to shield yourself from the blast of cold and snow it wasn't too bad.
The folklore surrounding these sea stacks you can see in the distance are known as Reynisdrangar. These basalt columns were once known as trolls that tried to pull ships in from the ocean. They were turned into stone as dawn came. There is another story of a husband and wife. The wife was kidnapped and killed by 2 trolls. The husband then found out and followed the trolls here where they were frozen never to kill again.
As gorgeous as this beach is, it is very dangerous with it sneaking and violent waves and currents! We made sure the kids were well aware of staying far from the sea.
Just a few days before our arrival a portion of the 1 highway was closed around this area due to extremely high winds and sandstorms. We had fun climbing and enjoying the sights on the beach despite the weather and walked back to the car to defrost. We stayed the evening in Vik. Many places and restaurants were closed for Easter weekend (which included Easter Monday). We did find a great place just below our apartment that had delicious fish dishes and we enjoyed some Icelandic craft beer.
